Resilient wheel



Sept. 7, 1943. N. G. A. MALMQUIST 2,328,660

RES ILIENT WHEEL Filed 001;. '14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Sept. 7, 1943 assignor'to Sveiiska Aktiebolaget Br'omsregulatf Malni b, St've en, a corporatien of Sweden sens i n eewbe 'In.

I 4 Claims.

0. June ??l 3 fileden a p catio e U- Le e Pa ent v n Serhie-1473 7 d e o in e n ia e t er'eef wa iled by m Ma 10 lees. and iven S r- N zet fi M res t p licat on. r. tieuetien+i i -lee t of y er e eepl ee ie s er- Nes- 14- 977 a 7 3 fi e une 7 en Ma 1 respecti i 1 This invention rel tes to resilient wheels for 9e m -Wa v hicle nd o e eu e wheels of the type comprising a huh, a rim member, two outwardly diregted radial flanges on said 14, 1941, Serial No. 414,960

en June 18, 193.6

b i aa 'al S a d re at to a h other, a

nte ediate fie-ne 1. sai im m b p c in a dl twe s d ut a s j axially spaced relation thereto, and a plurality of meme flexibl e ka o n tan e e u er th me-ed unde ax al e mn e s J Q WeeP s d an es ier res l ntl eenne tine the hub it t wheel im; ue a W e i des b and sho n n m S- t nt ie-2 086 12 As may be seen therefrom .one ef the outwardly dire ed flan s m t be e ev b ecu d on he hub by means of bolts or screws for making possihle assembling and dismantling of the wheel. In

th Const i f t e W e k ew m m a U. S Ratent No} 2,985,729 the-removable flange is an a and he hi t is Qrev e w ha xt a circumferential seat tor the internalperiphery of th r m b flan ant th im endef said seat, with a shoulder for theha geto hear against. At the assembling of the wheel the-rubher blocks are put under a predetermined axial compression by th aevele e leese be ng raw b me s of t a ta hin b lt er W ax l h me n rm be in 99 '-'e 2st'-th Shoulder on t sub.

In a resilient wheelof this LkindgI have found it highly desirable that the removable outer fl n hal ha e e tear n e tee eeeinet he u eeieel i n tb eXie -e h am m also in the radial direction Should the flange have a somewhat loose fit onthe the flange soon worlgsstillmore loose in service and, further more, the attaching .holtsIor .gc ews stuns flange are subjected, during rota on of the wheel, to circulating shearing stresse whichresults in a relatively ,rapid fatigue and ,hreakdown of the ha enema prof a .eeei stehi i e t e fia le eweikfleee s t- 1 a e th 'deteeh'eb e n on the huband the internal periphery of the lee b web te yeeeeie we k e hi i e out rubber blocks or for other repainwere' very successful in practice for the reason that in railway practice the hub is-generally secured to the axle by sweating the same thereomand sweating the wheel on the axle an unayoi I minute and indeterminate enlargement or ex ansion of the hub takes place. Thus, when the'ex; ternal seat on the hub and the internal periphery of the annular flange werelmade substantially cylindrical, as shown in my aforesaid U. 8. Patent No. 2,085,720, and machined fso accuratelyfas'to obtain a tight fit between 'theni, the following difiiculties were encountered. J When the hub was sweated on the axle before assembling of the Wheel, thesweating expansion of thefhub was found to spoil the accuracy of the seat [and most cases made it impossible .to put the flange in place on 'the' hub. If the wheel was as'se'mb d and the flange put in place on the hub hef :e sweating the hub on the axle, the sweatirig pansion of the hub in most cases results infja m- "of the flange, so ..that,the flange cguld not be removed thereafter from the hub forinfsp 0&- tion o'rexchanges of worn-out or defective parts, or could beremoved only with greatdifliculty. It might seem, from a theoretical point of view, that these difiiculties could be avoided by postpo the accurate formation of the seat on the hub or of the internal periphery of the flange untilthe hubhadvbeen sweatecl on the axle and subjected toithe expansion arising therefrom. This, how; everfwould be no good practical solution of the problem because of the inconvenience in handling,

during the. formation of the seat, such an unwieldy the taper of the seat on the hub and the internal periphery of the flange, the flange could. be re- ,rnovedfrom the hub after the sweating expansion thereof without too great difiicultiesbut it proved .verydi fiicult and expensive to secure, by accurate formatign of the tapering surfaces on the hub and the internal periphery of th'eflange substantially cylindrical, as shown in my U. S; Patent No. 2,086,720, because then-I was sure orchtaining both the predetermined axial position of the flange on the hub and the desired firm bearingcontactof theflange againstthe shoulder on the hub, .thus restricting the trouble to that resulting from a somewhat loose fit of the flange radially'only against the hub, or to that-resulting from difficulties in application-and removal of the flange; v a

By the present invention I not only eliminate all the troubles above referredto but also save the advantages which a conical formation of the external seat on the hub and of the internal periphcry of the flange has as an aid in ensuring an easy application and removal of the flange. To

. this end and in accordance with the invention I make the removable flange from a material that is both tenacious and elastic-to an appreciable degree, such as steel plate, and of a moderate thickness and of such dimensions regarding the internal periphery of the flange in relation to the external seat on the hub as are illustrated in 1 wherein the external seat 8 on the hub and the internal periphery 9 of the removable flange are cone-shaped and of an inclination relatively to the axis of the wheel that is at least as great as, and preferably greater than, the angle of friction between them, and wherein the diameter of the cone-shaped internal periphery 9 at the inner end thereof is not only appreciably greater than the diameter of the external cone-shaped seat 8 on the hub at the outer end thereof but also appreciably smaller than the diameter of theusaid seat 8 at the inner end thereof. In other'words. the construction is such that theflange 5 is prevented from being drawn axially home into the desired firm bearing contact against the shoulder NJ without appreciable distortion of the flange, and that this result is obtained irrespective of such an indeterminate minor enlargement 0r. expansion of the hub as is caused by sweating thev hub on the wheel axle. Further the construction is such as to permit the flange to be drawn, by means :of the bolts or screws 1, home into firm bearing contact against the shoulder l0 under appreciable distortion of the flange, as shown in Fig. 4. In the form of the invention illustrated. in Figs. 1 to .5 this distortion of the flange consists partly in a relative axial displacement of the material of the flange adjacent to the central opening thereof, and partly in a relative radial-displacement or :expension of the material of the flange in a zone thereof extending radially an indeterminate distance from the central opening of the flange and including the region of the holes 12in the flange for the attaching bolts or screws :1. This radial displacement or expansion of the material of the flange in the said zone thereof is of such'an order that, on account'of thesame and according to-the invention, special provision must be made against th flang jamming itself radially against the belts or screws hand against one or more ofthe bolts or screws 1 possibly'being sheared off or damaged by the flange on drawing the flange- .home into the desiredfirm bearing contact against the shoulder l-ll on the hub. Thus, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, I provide theflangei with asuf- .ficient clearance for-each boltiorscrew 1 toallow for the radial expansion of the flange in the aforesaid zone thereof without any risk for the flange jamming itself radiallyagainst the bolts or screws #1, or for any one of the bolts or screws 1 being subjected to any undesirable shearing :stress by the flange. According to the. formshown this necessary clearance is provided for by initially placing the holes l2 in the flange, now supposing the flange to be centered in relation to the hub, .somewhat eccentricallyin relation to the respective belts or screws 1, or the holes for them in the shoulder l0, and by making the holes I2 of a somewhat greater diameter in. relation to the di ameter of'the bolts or screws I than ordinarily would beused, so that the expansion of the flang acts in the direction of centering the holes 12 in relation to the" bolts or screws I, and so that a practically perfect security is obtained for there being no possibility for the flange to stress the bolts in shear either on-drawing the flange home or in service thereafter.

In the modified form :of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 the zone of the removable flange 5 extending radially from the central opening thereof a distance somewhat beyond the holes I2 for the bolts or screws 1 is divided by nearly radial cuts or slots l3 into alternating shorter and longer tongues M and I5. respectively, the holes 52 for the bolts or screws 1 beingprovided in the shorter tongues M. In this form of the invention the cone-shaped seating surface 9 on the flange is discontinuous and formed only on the longer tongues i 5, and the distortion of the flange on drawing the same home into the desired firm bearing contact against the shoulder ID on the hub substantially concentrates itself to the longer tongues it by these tongues being displaced or bent axially in relation to the shorter tongues M, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

.In the further modified form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 9 the removable flange 5 is provided with radial cuts or slots 56 extending from the central opening of the flange to the holes provided therein for the attachingbolts or screws .1, whereby the zone of the flange between the central opening thereof and the holes for the bolts .or screws l is di ided into equally long tongues H to which the distortion to which the flange is subjected nn drawing the same home 1 :into the desired firm bearing contact against the shoulder ii) on :the hub substantially concentrates itself .by the said tongues being displaced tor bent axially similarly to .the tongues in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to *8. .Of'course the cone-shaped seating surface on the internal periphery of he flange is formed on'the ends of the tongues i! and thus discontinued-bythe cuts or slots i-Ebetween the tongues.

In the forms of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to -9 the radial displacement or expansion the material of the flange in the region 'of'the holes for the attaching bolts or screws 1 "-IIllllltil) be so great in form of Figs. 1. to 5,

'or there will be practically no such radial displacement or expans on as would necessitate such a special. provision to allow for the same as that illustrated by Figs. 3 and 5 in connectionwith'the form of Figs. 1 to '5.

Practical experiments have shown that the .the hub retained, even if 'furtherplastic changes in form take place during subsequent service of the wheel.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a resilient wheel of the character described, comprising in combination, a hub, two outwardly directed flanges on said hub, a rim having an inwardly directed flange disposed between said hub flanges and axially spaced in relation thereto, non-metallic flexible blocks disposed under a predetermined axial compression between said flanges for resiliently connecting said rim flange to said hub flanges, one of said hub flanges being annular and removably mounted on said hub, a cone-shapedcircumferential seat on said hub for the internal periphery of said removable flange, a shoulder on said hub at the inner end of said seat, and means for drawing and holding said removable flange axially against said shoulder on said hub, said removable flange being provided with slots extending a distance into the flange from the central opening thereof and dividing the region of the flange n xtto said central opening into a number of tongues, and said removable flange being made from a tenacious material and so constructed and dimensioned as to prevent it from being drawn axially home into firm bearing contact against said shoulder on said hub without appreciable distortion of said slotted region of the flange, and to make possible such distortion of said region by the flange being drawn by said means axially home into firm bearing contact against said shoulder on said hub.

2. In a resilient wheel of the character described, comprising a hub, two outwardly directed axially spaced flanges on said hub, a rim having an inwardly directed flange disposed between said hub flanges and axially spaced in relation thereto, non-metallic flexible blocks disposed under a predetermined axial compression between said flanges for resiliently connecting said rim flange to said hub flanges, one of said hub flanges being annular and removably mounted on said hub, a circumferential seat on said hub for the internal periphery of said removable flange, a shoulder on said hub at the inner end of said seat, and bolts for drawing and holding said removable flange axially against said shoulder, said shoulder and said removable flange being provided with axial holes for said bolts, said seat on said hub and said interior periphery of said removable flange both being cone-shaped and of an inclination relatively to the axis of the wheel that is at least as great as the angle of friction between them, the diameter of said cone-shaped interior periphery at the inner end thereof being not only greater than the diameter of said circumferential ,seat at the outer end thereof but also so much smaller than the diameter of said seat at the inner end thereof that said removable flange is prevented from being drawn axially home into flrm bearing-contact against said shoulder without appreciable distortion of said removable flange, and said removable flange being made from a tenacious material and so constructed as to enable the same to be so distorted without jamming the same against said bolts by drawing said removable flange axially home into firm bearing contact against said shoulder on said hub by means of said bolts, said removable flange being provided with slots extending a distance into the flange from the central opening thereof and dividing the zone of the flange next to the said opening into tongues on which the coneshaped interior periphery of the flange is formed.

3. In a resilientwheel of the character described, comprising a hub, two outwardly directed axially spaced flanges on said hub, a rim having an inwardly directed flange disposed between said hub flanges and axially spaced in relation thereto, non-metallic flexible blocks disposed under a predetermined axial compression between said flanges for resiliently connecting said rim flange to said hub flanges, one of said hub flanges being annular and removably mounted on said hub, a circumferential seat on said hub for the internal periphery of said removable flange, a shoulder on said hub at the inner end of said seat, and bolts for drawing and holding said removable flange axially against said shoulder, said shoulder and said removable flange being provided with axial holes for said bolts, said seat on said hub and said interior periphery of said removable flange both being cone-shaped and of an inclination relatively to the axis of the wheel that is at least as great as the angle of friction between them, the diameter of said cone-shaped interior periphery at the inner end thereof being not only greater than the diameter of said circumferential seat at the outer end thereof but also so much smaller than the diameter of said seat at the inner end thereof that said removable flange is prevented from being drawn axially home into firm bearing contact against said shoulder without appreciable distortion ofsaid removable flange, and said removable flange being made from a tenacious material and so constructed as to enable the same to be so distorted without jamming the same against said bolts by drawing said removable flangeaxially home into firm bearing contact against said shoulder on said hub by means of said bolts, said removable flange being provided with slots extending into the flange from the central opening thereof a distance beyond the region of said holes and dividing the zone of the flange next to the said opening into alternately longer and shorter tongues, the holes for the bolts being arranged I in the shorter tongues, and the coneshaped interior periphery of the flange being formed 0 the longer tongues.

4. In a resilient wheel of the character described, comprising a hub, two outwardly directed axially spaced flanges on said hub, a rim having an inwardly directed flange disposed between said hub flanges and axially spaced in relation thereto, non-metallic flexible blocks disposed under a predetermined axial compression between said flanges for resiliently connecting said rim flange to said hub flanges, one of said hub flanges being annular and removably mounted on said hub, a circumferential seat on said hub for the internal periphery of said removable flange, a shoulder on said hub at the inner endof said seat, and bolts for drawing and holding said removable flange axially against said shoulder, said shoulder and said removable flange being provided with axial holes for said bolts, said seat on said hub and said interior periphery of said removable flange both being cone shaped and of an inclination relatively to the axis of the wheel that is at least as great as the angle of friction between them, the diameter; of said cone-shaped interior periphery at the inner end thereof being not only greater than theidiameter of said circumferential seat at the outer end thereof but also so much smaller than the diameter of said seat at the inner end thereof that said removable flange is prevented from being drawn axially home into firm bearing contact against said shoulder Without appreciable distortion of said removable flange, and said removable flange being made from a tenacious Inaterial and so constructed as to enable the same to be so distorted without jamming the same against said bolts by drawing said removable flange axially home into firm bearing contact against said shoulder on said, hub by means of said bolts, said removable flange being provided with slots extending from the cone-shaped in- 'terior periphery of the flange to the holes therein for the bolts. t t

NILS GUNNAR AUGUST MALMQUIST. 

